[Belowski]

I believe that money (in other words, consumerism) is the root of all evil, it has made humans corrupt, greedy and every other bad thing you can think of. But are we too much of these to have a fully functioning, money-less society driven solely for the advancement of the human race? Can it work and do you think it will ever happen?

[drummer]

Who's going to work?

[dandarsford]

Humans can be cruel, this is why we do "evil". the phrase "money is the root of all evil" is something people with access to modern knowledge shouldn't believe.

Money is an efficient medium of exchange.

[SubAtomic]

It won't ever happen because if I had Bill Gates money I would do everything I could to not adapt to a moneyless society and so will every other person with wedge.

So you are saying give up everything I was lucky to get or worked hard for so I can be in the same position as the Vicky Pollards and such of society? Pull the other one.

Even in a moneyless society there will always be corruption as power isn't necessarily about money, we would be trading people and resources.

[dongonaeatu]

no

[Spontogical]

99.9999999999999% of people aren't Altruistic, so it won't work.

[Belowski]

(Original post by dandarsford)
Humans can be cruel, this is why we do "evil". the phrase "money is the root of all evil" is something people with access to modern knowledge shouldn't believe.

Money is an efficient medium of exchange.

Feudalism worked good because of religion and tradition, two things shunned in today's culture. Communism failed after a few decades because the powerful took money from everyone until everyone was poor or incorporated money and became more capitalistic. All monetary systems fail because of greed.

As for a world without money, we would still be farming and being nomads, but would this really be such a bad thing? Native Americans for example. Unfortunately, money killed many of them off (the Europeans came seeking gold and other traded materials, but spread disease in the process) another example of how greed is detrimental to humans.

[Architecture-er]

Of course not, just take benefits now and then multiply that complaining by 1000.

A money-free society would only work if everyone was of comparable intellect and skill (though in specific professional areas). But that's not the case, since there's idiots in every society. Imagine if you were incredibly smart and good at improving your company's earnings. Now take away your deserved salary, and put you on the same income as the knuckle-dragger emptying your bins every morning.

Plus you remove competitiveness, and so the need for innovation. All communist states have failed miserably.

[Architecture-er]

(Original post by Belowski)
Feudalism worked good because of religion and tradition, two things shunned in today's culture. Communism failed after a few decades because the powerful took money from everyone until everyone was poor or incorporated money and became more capitalistic. All monetary systems fail because of greed.

As for a world without money, we would still be farming and being nomads, but would this really be such a bad thing? Native Americans for example. Unfortunately, money killed many of them off (the Europeans came seeking gold and other traded materials, but spread disease in the process) another example of how greed is detrimental to humans.

In the absence of money, other things would be traded... It all stems from imbalances of power. At it's most basic, "You want a turnip. I have a turnip. You cannot get a turnip any other way than from me. So this turnip will cost you 3 goats and your wife".

Maybe if we were ALL producing simple goods like food / ironwork / woodwork etc. But some people can do things no-one else can, and they demand to have that skill respected.


edit: I'm sure Native Americans invaded other tribes in order to acquire 'things' - whatever was valued in the same way money is now, be it livestock or w/e

[dandarsford]

(Original post by Belowski)
Feudalism worked good because of religion and tradition, two things shunned in today's culture. Communism failed after a few decades because the powerful took money from everyone until everyone was poor or incorporated money and became more capitalistic. All monetary systems fail because of greed.

As for a world without money, we would still be farming and being nomads, but would this really be such a bad thing? Native Americans for example. Unfortunately, money killed many of them off (the Europeans came seeking gold and other traded materials, but spread disease in the process) another example of how greed is detrimental to humans.

Humans do bad things because we can, not due to money.

[Soph(:]

Never going to happen.

[SnoochToTheBooch]

it's all fine pointing out problems with the current system we have, but nobody ever suggests any actual viable alternative.

money isn't the root of all "evil" either, people are. people will find ways to be greedy whether it's over money or whatever replaces it. money is a very useful tool.

[anarchism101]

Depends how you define money. If you mean can we do without physical cash money, then certainly. In fact we did for most of history and it looks like we're going that way now.

[LouReed]

A money free society could work yes, but only in very small communes of like minded individuals. Certainly anything as large as a town would simply fall into chaos without money.

Also, money is just a way of determining value - even if you ban the use of paper money people will still attribute value to things (i.e a carrot to someone who hates carrots will have low value, to someone who loves carrots will have high value) so greed etc will still exist.

[Superlogon]

(Original post by anarchism101)
Depends how you define money. If you mean can we do without physical cash money, then certainly. In fact we did for most of history and it looks like we're going that way now.

What makes you think we're going back to trading instead of money?

[anarchism101]

(Original post by Superlogon)
What makes you think we're going back to trading instead of money?

It's not 'trading' in that sense either. For most of history people used various forms of credit.

[Superlogon]

(Original post by anarchism101)
It's not 'trading' in that sense either. For most of history people used various forms of credit.

Whats makes you think we are beginning to uses other forms of credit than money? Your comment suggests that we are slowly moving away from money as a form of credit, im interested to know where you observed this.

[anarchism101]

(Original post by Superlogon)
Whats makes you think we are beginning to uses other forms of credit than money? Your comment suggests that we are slowly moving away from money as a form of credit, im interested to know where you observed this.

Because we're increasingly using digital credit, rather than cash.

[jordan9]

If a society were to become 'moneyless' then it would certainly become isolated from the rest of the world
because of trade/production/global economy etc.
In a way, people would work together to continue a slow progress into the future

I dont think money is the root to evil, alhtough it may cause inequality, look at the benefits it has done, e.g without moeny, we would'nt be having this convo.

[london-buddy]

(Original post by Belowski)
I believe that money (in other words, consumerism) is the root of all evil, it has made humans corrupt, greedy and every other bad thing you can think of. But are we too much of these to have a fully functioning, money-less society driven solely for the advancement of the human race? Can it work and do you think it will ever happen?

I think the most annoying thing about money is that it looses value, and also the fact that people are allowed to buy unlimited properties with it ?